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If you have experience in government, policy, media, or advocacy, volunteer with Close Up to share your expertise with students!
Gaining Insights from Experts
A vital part of Close Up’s curriculum to inform, inspire, and empower students is a series of seminars throughout the program week. These topical speaking engagements allow students to talk with experts in policy, advocacy, media, or citizen action; become more informed about issues they care about; and learn about organizations that are promoting change in the world.
Interested in becoming a volunteer seminar speaker? Learn more about these civic volunteer opportunities and fill out an interest form today!
Current Issues Seminar and Community Action Onsite Speakers
Adam Jentleson, Battle Born Collective
Adrienne Castro, Office of Representative Mark Takano
Aliki Moncrief, Florida Conservation Voters
Alison Gillmeister, Capital Experience Lab
Alissa Oginsky, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Allison Sturma, United States Institute of Peace
Alyssa Eisenstein, Oxfam America
Amber Downer, Network of Enlightened Women
Amber Macdonald, Biden Campaign
Amy Dacey, Sine Institute of Policy & Politics, American University
Andrea Flores, Florida State University
Andrew Finke, DC Central Kitchen
Andrew Schneider, Arlington Thrive
Anna Mahalak, United Nations Foundation
Annelise McGough, The 19th
Austin Kohlman, CAIR Coalition
Ayris Scales, Serve DC
Barbara Slavin, Future of Iran Initiative, Atlantic Council
Secretary Betsy DeVos, U.S. Department of Education
Betsy Owens, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida
Bishar Jenkins, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation/Office of Representative Frederica Wilson
Bo Shuff, DC Vote
Boriana Benev Ode, Embassy of Chile
Boris Sanchez, CNN
Brendan Quinn, Center for Responsive Politics
Brendan Stern, Gallaudet University
Brittany Piovesan, Internews
Brooke Fallon, Institute for Justice
Camila Salvador, Central American Resource & Justice Center (CARECEN)
Carl Baker, Pacific Forum CSIS
Cassandra Ramdath, Urban Institute
Catherine Flowers, Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice
Catherine Regli, Embassy of Switzerland
Celeste Trusty, Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Chanda Womack, Nellie Mae Education Foundation Speakers Bureau/ARISE
Charles Lewis, Investigative Reporting Workshop
Cheyenne Brady, Center for Native American Youth
Rear Admiral Chris Buchanan, Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Christian Dorsey, Economic Policy Institute
Christian Minor, Florida Juvenile Justice Association
Colin Conroy, University of Florida
Collen Creighton, American Association of Suicidology
Cornell Woolridge, Princeton Review/CivicSolve
Curtis Harris, American University/President Lincoln’s Cottage
Cyril Bumbalek, Embassy of the Czech Republic
Dakota Jablon, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S.Department of Health and Human Services
Dan Easley, Apex Clean Energy
Dan Lewerenz, Native American Rights Fund
Dan Myers, National Geographic
Dana Bell, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida
Daniel Easley, ExxonMobil
Daniel K. Inouye, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
Danielle King, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation/Office of Representative Terri Sewell
Darya Watnick, Yale School of the Environment
David Almacy, CapitalGig
David Aquino, Blue Planet Foundation
David Blair, The Leadership Institute
David Penna, Gallaudet University
Dawn Chitty, African American Civil War Museum
Debbie Mortham, Excel in Ed
Denise Rock, Florida Cares
Diana Gonzalez, Arizona’s Children Association
Doug Vine, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Eliza Alexander, Independent Schools Association of Northern New England
Emily Buss, Embassy of Switzerland
Emily Jashinsky, The Federalist
Emily Losey, Crisis Text Line
Erica Olmstead, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Erik Stegman, Center for Native American Youth
Erin Hagen, Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Ernesto Gonzales, Office of Senator Marco Rubio
Eugenio Weigend, Center for American Progress
Felicia Wright, American Indian Environmental Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Francesca Menes, Local Progress
Francine Lamoriello, Personal Care Products Council
Frank Smith, African American Civil War Memorial and Museum
Geoff West, Center for Responsive Politics
Gil Klein, National Press Club
Gina Allery, Office of Tribal Justice, U.S. Department of Justice
Giulia McPherson, Jesuit Refugee Service USA
Greg Rockwell, Thrive DC
Greg Scarlatoiu, Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
Gregg Rothschild, Glover Park Group
Griffith Jurgens, Blue Planet Foundation
Gustavo Torrez, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Hakela Felton, Institute for Justice
Hassan Casanova, University of Florida
Heather Mytelka, Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Programs Heidi Frechette, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Irene Bueno, NVG
Isabelle Gerard, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Jane Adams, Johnson & Johnson
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Jason Botel, U.S. Department of Education
Jessi Carnes, Friends of Children and Families
Jessica Kelly, Running Start
Jessica Leung, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Jim Feroli, Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services
Jim Reese, Washington International School
Joe Jerome, Center for Democracy and Technology
John Around Him, National Indian Education Association
John Brandon, The Asia Foundation
John Milewski, The Woodrow Wilson Center
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs John Tahsuda, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
Jonathan Rodrigues, American Federation of Teachers
Josh Utter, Jesuit Refugee Service
Juanita Mendoza, U.S. Bureau of Indian Education
Judit Arenas, APCO Worldwide
Julie Wu, APIAVote
Karen Ennis, National Coalition for the Homeless
Karil Kochenderfer, Linkages: Global Trade, Government, and Public Affairs
Katharine Carter, Arlington Thrive
Kathleen McDonald Fox, FEMA
Kathy Valle, White House Domestic Policy Council
Katie Leslie, Dallas Morning News
Katie Reusch, Youth Service America
Keaton Lampkin, University of Florida
Kelsey Millay, National Women’s Party
Representative Kendrick Meek
Kenny Cunningham, Cunningham Communications
Kevin Days, The George Washington University
Kevin Walling, Hamburger Gibson Creative
Kim Ross, ReThink Energy Florida
Kristen Looney, First Amendment Center
Lance Hastings, MillerCoors
Lara Kaufmann, Girls Inc.
Laura Brush, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Lauren Migaki, NPR
Leah Rand, Brigham and Women’s/Harvard University
Les Ferrier, Florida A&M University
Les Francis
Lindsay Gibbs, ThinkProgress
Lisa Gillette, Office of Migrant Education, U.S. Department of Education
Liz Reinert, DC Central Kitchen
Representative Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
Lyndsey Holland, University of Central Florida
Madalene Xuan-Tran Mielke, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
Maggie Bush, League of Women Voters
Maggie O’Neill, Catholic Charities
Mallory Cotter, Florida State University
Marc Freedman, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Marc Leepson
Maria Batista, Florida Youth Shine/Florida’s Children First
Maria Lopez, University of Central Florida
Maria Meier
Mario Bailey, Converge Government Affairs
Mark Fox, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation
Mary Bogle, Urban Institute
Mary Beth Tinker
Matt Robbins, Auto Care Association
Meg Heubeck, University of Virginia Center for Politics
Megan Chabalowski, United States Institute of Peace
Melanie Benit, Institute for Justice
Melissa Davoust, Boston University School of Public Health
Melissa Kilby, Girl Up
Mia L. Jones, AGAPE Community Health Center, Inc.
Mike Lane
Mike Walter, CGTN America
Morgan McCue, Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Nancy Meyer, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Nicholas Courtney, Native American Political Leadership Program, The George Washington University
Nicole Compton, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Nicole Washington, Washington Education Strategies
Nikki Fleming, University of Florida
Omarina Cabrera
Pam Hess, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture
Patricia Keefer, Project Vote 18
Peter Metsopoulos, Roland Park Country School
Piper Christian, Citizens’ Climate Lobby (volunteer)
Princella Talley, Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Rachel Bennion, Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services
Rachel Bowen Pittman, United Nations Association-USA
Rachel Evans, University of Florida
Rachel Gentry, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Rachel Rush-Marlowe, Association of Community College Trustees
Rachna Choudhry, POPVOX
Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers
Rashad Ali, Florida State University
Regan Patterson, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Richard (RB) Barrett, University of Florida
Richard Fetchick, Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality
Richard Schmierer, Middle East Policy Council
Rob Boston, Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Rob Ganim, Greentech Minerals Holdings
Rob Richie, FairVote
Robert Disney, Brady Campaign
Robert Herman, Freedom House
Robert Maguire, Center for Responsive Politics
Rocky Egusquiza, Miami Marlins Foundation
Roger Custer, Commonwealth Foundation
Roland Owens, National Institutes of Health
Ryan Radia, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Sadie Troy, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Saisha Delevoe, Florida State University
Sara Wanous, Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Sarah Pope, Youth Service America
Scott Richardson, U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Shevaun Harris, Florida Department of Children and Families
Shirley Keating, Asia Society
Sofia Gross, Snap, Inc.
Solemi Hernandez, Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Stephanie Doyle, Citizens’ Climate Lobby/The Nature Conservancy
Suzie Button, The JED Foundation
Tiffany Gray, DC Department of Health
Tim McManus, Partnership for Public Service
Todd Akins, National Rifle Association
Tom Benning, Dallas Morning News
Tori Saylor, Center for American Progress
Tracy Toulou, Office of Tribal Justice, U.S. Department of Justice
Tyler Benjamin, So Others Might Eat
Victoria Herrmann, National Geographic Explorer/The Arctic Institute
Yael Bromberg, Bromberg Law, LLC
Zaid Zaid, Biden-Harris Transition Review Teams
Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, The Raben Group
Domestic Issues Debaters
Ben Turner, Binetti Political Strategies
Bo Shuff, DC Vote
Bob Witeck, Witeck Communications
Bre Payton, The Federalist
Dan Gainor, Media Research Center
Frank Garvey, FACETS
Joe Jerome, Center for Democracy and Technology
Julie Sweet, Hamburger Gibson Creative
Katie Reusch, Youth Service America
Kenny Cunningham, Prism Group
Kevin Days, The George Washington University
Kevin Walling, Hamburger Gibson Creative
Kris Ullman
Mike Lane, IntElephant Strategies
Nicole Compton, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Roger Custer, Institute for Humane Studies
Ryan Nichols, U.S. Department of the Interior
Ryan Radia, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Sam Mulopulos, Office of Senator Rob Portman
Terry Campo, The Campo Group
Tim Schranck, U.S. Department of Agriculture
William Haun, Shearman & Sterling
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